Find Lost Money Australia

Searching and claiming after a name change

A register cannot know you changed your name. It shows the name a bank, employer, landlord or fund recorded when the money was active. People who search only their current name are one of the biggest groups who miss money that is sitting there under an older one.

Published by Find Lost Money Australia. Information checked against the official sources below on 1 August 2026.

Not sure whether this is the right register for you? Find where to search and answer a few general questions first.

Before you start, have these ready

  • A list of every surname you have used, with rough dates
  • Any first names or spellings you used informally, such as a shortened name at work
  • Addresses linked to each name
  • Your marriage certificate, divorce order or change of name certificate, if you have them

Why the old name matters

Organisations rarely update old or closed records when a customer changes their name. The record that is transferred to a register carries whatever name was on file.

That means money from before your name change is usually listed under the earlier name, and money from after it under the new one.

Linking the names when you claim

Authorities generally need to see a document that connects the name on the record to the name on your current ID. Commonly this is a marriage certificate or a change of name certificate issued by a state births, deaths and marriages registry. Each authority sets its own list, so check its claim page rather than assuming.

If you do not have the certificate, your state or territory births, deaths and marriages registry can usually issue a copy. Fees and processing times vary.

Step by step

  1. 1

    List every name you have used and the years you used it.

  2. 2

    Search each register under each surname on its own, not just your current name.

  3. 3

    Use the address or suburb in a result to decide whether it matches the period you used that name.

  4. 4

    Before claiming, read the official claim page for the document it asks for to link your names.

  5. 5

    Send certified copies where the authority asks for them, never originals unless specifically requested.

Example: a record under a previous surname

Someone who married and later divorced searches under their current surname and finds nothing. Searching the married surname shows a small refund linked to an address they rented at the time. They lodge the claim with their marriage certificate showing the link between names.

Common mistakes

  • Searching only the current legal name.
  • Forgetting informal names used at work or on accounts.
  • Lodging a claim without the document that links the two names, which usually delays it.

I found a possible match, what now?

A listing is a record the authority holds, not proof the money is yours. Note the reference shown against it, check the details you recognise, then open the claim page on the official site and read what evidence it asks for before you start. You lodge the claim directly with that authority, never through this site.

What documents you may need

I found nothing, what now?

A nil result usually means you searched the wrong register, the wrong spelling of a name, or too few variations of it. Try surname only, earlier surnames and each state you have lived in, then work through the troubleshooting steps before you give up.

Searched and found nothing

Tip: Keep one list of your names and addresses. You will reuse it for every register you search.

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Common questions

Official sources checked

Researched and reviewed by
Find Lost Money Australia
Information last verified
1 August 2026

Find Lost Money Australia is an independent information service, not a government agency. Our review checks the responsible agency's current page, search location and claim instructions. Agencies can change their rules, so confirm details on the official site before you act.

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Searching is free. Every register we link to lets you search at no cost, and you can lodge a claim yourself. Be cautious of any business that asks for an upfront fee simply to search a public register on your behalf. Find Lost Money Australia is an independent information service. We are not a government agency and we do not hold or search unclaimed money databases.

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